


Si Vis Pacem

by Rinjou



Series: Vis Arcana [1]
Category: Tenkuu no Escaflowne | The Vision of Escaflowne
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Canon-Typical Violence, Coming of Age, Complicated Relationships, Drama & Romance, F/M, Family, Fantasy, Fate & Destiny, Guymelefs, Hitomi Never Went Back to Gaea in Episode 24, I Don't Care I Don't Have the Range, Illustrated, Just Esca Things Basically, Love Triangles, Other, Politics, Post-Episode AU/Continuation, Prophetic Visions, Rating May Change, Royalty, Timeskip, War, longfic, relationship tags TBA, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:39:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29113908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rinjou/pseuds/Rinjou
Summary: "Send me back! Send me back to my world!" Hitomi's wish had been fulfilled and everything she went through on Gaea had become a dream. After waking up in her old school's infirmary, she knew exactly what would happen in the next few hours, but not once again. She never left Earth that evening—and yet, the tarot cards had shown her the long and distant separation…
Series: Vis Arcana [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2136141
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> _Greetings! This is the AO3 reupload of my ongoing three-part Escaflowne (TV) fic series "Vis Arcana". There are eleven chapters up already on FFN. The only difference I'm making here on AO3 is that I'm using the original Japanese honorifics and possibly some original in-universe terms, so this version would make more sense to the people who watched the subbed series. To put it simply, this will be the "Allen-san"/"Van-sama" version. If you're interested but would actually prefer "Lord Van"/"Allen", please look it up on FFN. I will post the chapters here as they are edited into this version and once I'm caught up, I'll try to update on both sites simultaneously._
> 
> For lore research, sporadic writing updates, lazy sketches, and other junk, please check out the fic's tumblr [tumblr](https://visarcana.tumblr.com/).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Chapter version: 2.0 [beta-read by[xaves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xaves/) \- I'm forever grateful!]**
> 
> * * *

Do you ever wonder where all the trains you were late to ended? Who could you have met if you took them, or if you simply looked to the other side of the road?  
Your soulmate might have just passed by. Sometimes all it takes is a little push, a small stumble, a few words. The butterfly effect kicks in.  
You took or missed that chance; either way, you will never have it again. Some attribute it to a deity, others call it destiny.  
But if your wish is strong enough…

'''

_SPREAD I_

_**Si vis pacem, para bellum** _

"If you wish for peace, prepare for war." (Vegetius)

'''

* * *

_Chapter 1_

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was aware that she was mindlessly stalling, but her gaze was somehow pulled towards the bay and the Enoshima island in the distance. She knew she had been staring at it for a while already, but she was unable to tear her eyes away. It was foolish, really, because how many times had she looked at it on her school commute?

Wave after wave breaking viciously against the sharp stones, and yet it filled her mind with a strange calm and familiarity. Perhaps that was it. It felt good to be back home and it was the happiest she'd felt in a long time. Things were about to change… probably forever.

Her boyfriend and their third companion were currently leading an animated dialogue above the pile of backpacks and suitcases, but it was all just background noise to her. She caught herself stretching her back, inhaling the scent of summer, filling her lungs, her veins, her nerve endings with the carelessness and the almost palpable promise of adventure.

The small Kamakura Koukou Mae tram station was bustling with energy. Salarymen, students, Japanese and foreign tourists, and families with children. Everyone following their own purpose, yet meeting at this place this wonderful morning.

Her good impression lasted but for another few minutes. Yes, everything was perfect, except…

"Yukari. The tram will be here soon. We should get to the platform," Susumu said, interrupting, yet at the same time almost reading her thoughts.

"Just a minute. We agreed to meet here. I'm sure she'll show up any moment now."

 _This is so usual._ How many times did she wait for her at this very same place on their way to school? She honestly expected that girl to show up any second now, or she'd make her regret it personally, in a very slow and agonizing way. She still ignored the chatter of the two young men, as well as the pre-recorded voice announcing the forthcoming arrival, and focused on the direction her friend should have been coming from. _C'mon Kanzaki, we have a train to catch. Hope you didn't oversleep...no, **you** should hope you didn't. Or that you haven't changed your mind at the last minute._

The morning sun was already beating mercilessly at them. Yukari's mood got more and more sour. Why did they even have to take the tram? There was no real need, they could have taken a taxi to the station or rented a car to get to Tokyo and boarded the bullet train comfortably. Yeah, right, but then Susumu had insisted showing Ryuuji the Enoden, the famous Kamakura electric railway. So for half an hour of the 'fun tram ride', they had had to walk here, dragging their entire luggage behind them like fools.

And _she_ apparently did not. Not on time, at least. Despite living, what, ten minutes away? _God, how does the girl even survive?_

"Just call her," Susumu said.

"I already wrote her a message," she grumbled in reply as she reached for her latest stylish cell with the numerous cute and blingy charm straps.

"She is not picking up. I can't believe this. We agreed to meet here."

"That's all fine but this is Kanzaki. She will probably just jump on the leaving tram, wouldn't be the first time. Let's go."

Yukari nodded finally, still deep in thought even as her eyes leaving the horizon. It was not simply chronic lateness or something to laugh off. What was wrong with her friend? Hitomi used to be so cheerful, so motivated. She had wanted to become a track star like Susumu. But she just stopped talking about it at some point. She was doing okay in the college as far as she knew, something that would cause stress for any student. She just seemed… tired. Were the classes too difficult to handle? Was she battling something internally? They should talk more seriously. But she somehow felt a hard glass pane in their recent conversations. A border which Hitomi would not cross when talking about herself.

It felt wrong. It felt like their friendship wasn't as close anymore. Deep down, Yukari worried that with time, it would become just a habit, just a polite pretense. Not because they weren't good friends like this. But they used to be more than that. She used to feel she could talk about anything with Hitomi. They had their own almost-adult lives now, but she refused to admit their friendship would eventually not be as deep as it once was.

There was also one other thing. She knew Hitomi had liked her fiancée once. Was it more serious than Yukari had anticipated? Ever since then… ever since that time, Hitomi hadn't been the same. True, she seemed more mature, wiser for her age all of a sudden. "I know," she had told Yukari simply before Susumu even officially asked her out. "You are free to have him. Am I off my dessert duty now?"

_No hard feelings._

Yukari had believed her then, but why? The Hitomi she knew since middle school used to be different. Childish and naïve, concerned about others, but often oblivious to their own struggles. Selfish at times. What made her change so much? And why was she not getting her own happiness?

Yukari knew her friend deserved it more than anyone. And it was not like she hadn't had some admirers over the years.

"It didn't work out," she always told Yukari over coffee or cake. "But I'm fine."

Then why did she seem worse? Was it difficult for her seeing Yukari and Susumu happy together? Would the trip be too hard on her? Did it hurt or offend her that she had invited Ryu? She only meant well. Maybe it was the feeling that it could be their last time together like this for a long time. She would marry Susumu and graduate soon. They had still not decided where they would live then. If they moved overseas, it would be extremely hard to meet, she knew. Her own heart ached about it, too. Hitomi was her best friend. But surely they would stay in touch even that way?

Except… Hitomi was alone.

Yukari would feel better if she left her in the company of some other close friends, in the arms of a boyfriend. Even better, the boyfriend could be from the country where she was probably going to move to later. Staying close would certainly become a lot more plausible...

That made her pause. Was this what she was trying to do with Susumu's friend? Was she really that manipulative? Her thoughts were going down an unpleasant road; it was quite unlike her to worry so much. She just wanted Hitomi on this trip, so they could have the time to talk about things like that. But if Hitomi was not going to come, then she would just have to sit her down later. It just seemed like a waste. And Ryu was not just handsome; he was a nice and interesting guy. It was not like she would ever let someone less than worthy near her _Mi-chan_.

Luckily, her boyfriend was once again proven right. A text notification beeped not too long after they boarded the tram and sat down.

' _I'm very sorry Yukari-chan, I couldn't make it…'_

Yukari felt her displeasure spike until she scrolled down to reveal the latter part of the message:

' _Meet you at the Central.'_

 _Well, at least she's coming._ Yukari was going to give her a piece of her mind about this later, though. _Unbelievable. Where is her focus? How could she oversleep on a day like this?!_ She fussed internally, even as she felt the warm relief spill in her gut.

They were already on the platform for the Tokyo train when she spotted a girl that fit the description of her friend on the other side of the tracks, a bit further up from them. The girl was leaning over with her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. She must have run all the way here and used the illegal shortcut up the slope behind the station and past the fence. _Geez,_ Yukari thought. _Way to make a first impression on a guy…_

"Hitomi—!" she called out. The girl's face split into a smile. She waved back enthusiastically, looked left and right, and started running to cross the railroad tracks.

She had to, as their train was already approaching on the horizon. Surely, it broke a regulation or two, but nobody stopped to think about it twice. She saw the local kids doing it quite a few times.

Yukari whistled inwardly as she scrutinized her friend. _She actually listened to me._ The girl sported a pair of jean shorts; not obscenely short, but enough to show off her long runners' legs. A simple white tank-top was paired with a pastel-colored shirt, which she wore with rolled up sleeves and unbuttoned. The reddish pendant still swung in front of her chest, unchanged from their high-school days. Her look, combined with her short honey-colored hair and glowing face (Yukari realized she hadn't seen the girl this animated in years), gave her a very fresh, youthful image. _Yeah boy, you better watch,_ she thought impishly as Ryuuji straightened himself, slowly turning to look at their new companion.

It was then the dreamy scene fell apart. Nobody had doubted that the athletic girl would cross the stretch of blocks, rails, and pebbles and climb up the platform in a second. Not Yukari and her companions, not the bleary-eyed railway employee who approached to dispatch the arriving train, nor any other random onlooker on the platform and obviously, not even the girl herself. Yet, without any warning, she folded down on the tracks, as if struck by a lightning. Did she just trip? No, she was not moving. She was staring into emptiness as if in trance.

Yukari was the first to scream. "Hitomi… move! _Move_ , dammit!" But the girl just sat back on her knees, her eyes blank. Other people started to panic, too. The employee and even Susumu posed as if they wanted to run and pick her up, even though she was a bit further away from them. The horns of the locomotive, which was sure to arrive within seconds, halted them right in their tracks.

It was Ryu who broke off into a run without hesitation, an unexpected would-be hero. Yukari invested all her hope into him. He sprinted up the platform and threw himself to his knees just above Hitomi, reaching out his hand to her. Yukari saw the girl just look at it numbly first, then lift her hand, waver, and place it over her chest instead.

Yukari unconsciously began to move, but Susumu grabbed her back against his chest firmly. The dispatcher started to whistle and signal wildly with the red flag. The approaching machine blared its now horribly close and loud horns.

She didn't know what was worse. That, or the screeching of the train's emergency brakes... Yukari's worst nightmare was playing out right before her watering eyes. Her friend, her best friend, someone she loved dearly was going to be hit, and she could not think of what it would do to her fragile human body. There was nothing she could do about it, there was nothing that could prevent it anymore...

She barely registered Ryuuji retracting his hand and letting himself fall back numbly. Some of the bystanders started to back up, gasping and covering their eyes in terror. Yukari could not, not until the hundreds of tons of steel halted to a stop and a disturbing silence fell upon on the scene.

* * *

She never knew that she was dreaming. The scene was so filled with light, it felt like looking into the sun. It couldn't have been real. But she was completely unaware of that. She wasn't sure if the warmth came from the light or from the figure that was currently holding her. She didn't know them, even though they often appeared in her dreams. Or she knew, but just couldn't assign a face or a name to them. They were still solid and real to her, if only until she awoke. She was dreaming now though, so the logic lay abandoned... she would adopt it again once she'd open her eyes, but right now she had no doubt about the reality of what was happening.

Not that the girl was thinking about such things at all, reclining in the arms of the stranger. They were a featureless shadow, but somehow she didn't feel the need to try and get a better look at them. She had only a vague idea of their surroundings. It must have been outside judging by the air, by the sun hitting her skin, the grass tickling her limbs.

"I have been so lonely..." she heard her own voice say. _Don't leave for so long..._

The dark figure never said anything, but she knew they understood. They changed position gently and held her tight as an apology, filling her with their light and warmth. How could a shadow feel so warm? They were so close, she thought they were going to melt together. She felt loved and complete, her mind and heart at ease and... The cheery ringtone of her cell phone was the most nerve-grating piece of… sound she ever... Why, why now, when it was... She forced herself to open her eyes at last.

 _Oh, it's morning._ She stretched her arm out from under the covers to check the offending object, flipping it open in annoyance. _Ri-chan calling._ Wait, why was she being woken up by this? What had happened to the alarm?! Her eyes skipped to the corner of the screen. _Oh_. Her sleepy mind received a numbing electrical shock.

But there was no time to ponder that or anything else. With a dropping stomach, she just accepted the fact that she was running late. Again. Yukari would have her head for this. She would miss the tram – which connected to the Yokosuka line at the station, which connected to the Shinkansen in Tokyo – and ruin all of her friend's meticulous planning. Her best bet now was to try and catch the Tokyo train on their town's main station.

The call ended. She honestly did not have the guts to face her friend right now, even on the phone. The disappearing box with caller ID revealed an older message.

 _'O_ — _i, Micchan! What are you doing?! {emoji}  
I hope you are not thinking of backing out now!  
Anyway, just get your behind moving to the tram station,  
we're already waiting for you there! Ri {emoji}'_

The normally cheerful smiley faces in Yukari's message seemed a bit mad and aggressive, but she was sure it was just her imagination. Perhaps because she knew Yukari well enough to realize she had to be livid right then.

She briefly wondered if she should sacrifice taking a shower and run to the tram station instead. _Sorry Yukari, but I need that shower,_ she thought as she punched in a quick message to let her friend know she would be meeting them later.

Flipping the cell shut, Hitomi all but ran out from under her covers, straight for the bathroom. She put the water on scalding first, but it actually reminded her of something embarrassing… what was it again she dreamed of? Nevermind. She shook her head violently to get rid of the weird, unspecific, and feeling-only memory.

She finished the shower and proceeded to complete her morning process in record time. Thank heavens she had been packed and ready since yesterday. Her old duffel bag would no doubt look comical compared to the baggage of her friends, who were probably prepared for every situation that might arise on the trip. _Including the absolute need to play golf or cook a three-course meal_ , she smirked. Well, whatever, she was used to traveling lightly.

Thinking about Yukari's advice (or more of a threat) not to dress like a middle-schooler on a field trip, she had prepared a little more of a thought-out outfit than usual the night before. It showed a bit of skin, but it looked like it was going to be a sunny day, so she didn't mind. It was still pretty simple. If Yukari or _he_ expected she would go in a tight dress or high-heels, well, tough luck, it just wasn't her. That made her pause.

Well, _he_ was a significant part of the whole ordeal. Amano's friend and roommate at his university campus, a young man named Emorey. Or Ryu-san, as Yukari called him. She could only imagine the face that went with the name, as Yukari forgot (or did not want to) show her a photo of him and Hitomi did not want to appear too interested to ask her to.

There was little she knew about the guy, in fact. Yukari was singing praises about Emorey-san, but Hitomi was sure a bit of match-making was involved. Despite his Japanese given name, he was only a _half_ and hadn't been to Japan since he was a child—that was one of the reasons they thought making this trip was a great idea. Yukari said he was very excited to finally discover the land of his grandparents.

According to her best friend, he filled out the idea of tall, dark and handsome. _He is an athlete, like Amano… and you_ , she had to remind herself. Yukari gushed on and on about how smart, easy-going and just plain gorgeous he was. Yeah right, and she just knew him for a few weeks during her regular Amano visits to Europe. He also spoke Japanese, so there was no language barrier to be worried about. Despite that and his Japanese mother, she knew there would be differences.

Yukari had somehow conjured up the idea that he and Hitomi would be a perfect match, but this didn't need to work out at all. Even if they _did_ like each other, which was in no way guaranteed. Plus, he had been raised in an entirely different culture. His family name was English and she had actually had to search out its pronunciation and practice it a bit in secret. Perhaps she should just call him by his given name right from the start; it was a custom in the West, after all.

Ryuuji. _Written like dragon and two._

To be honest, Hitomi was a bit nervous to meet him, even if all the while, she was telling herself she was being stupid. There was no obligation for her to start anything with him. _So_ _what_ if this looked like a double date?

 _A two-week long double date_ , her mind cheekily supplied.

Nevermind. _If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out._

She knew she was not the greatest at this, as her love life (or lack of thereof) proved. She went out with some boys from her high school and later, college, few times, but true love seemed to be eluding her. Yet she somehow refused to settle for less. She never developed enough feelings for anyone to stay with them more than a few dates or weeks. Maybe she was being too romantic and lacked a realistic view. Maybe she just feared commitment. Or it was simply bad luck.

She had a feeling this person could be something else though. Something in her gut told her and her instincts were almost always right.

True, once she had felt like she could even predict the future using her tarot cards. It was put to use mostly for her high school classmates' love lives, but her predictions were sometimes scarily accurate. _But you didn't stop doing it just because it was scary, did you?_ Right, she stopped because… she… she was no longer as silly. She grew out of it. In fact, there was a high chance her infamous intuition could be wrong about this whole thing. This Ryuuji Emorey thing.

Anyway, this trip was not just about him. There was way more to look forward to than just some guy. Let him search for his roots while she enjoyed some traveling and quality time with her friends. She hadn't seen Amano-san in a year or so and she hated to admit she wasn't in touch with Yukari as much as she would have hoped, either. She was busy with her studies and Yukari objectively had even more to chew. She was studying to be a nurse, a choice which surprised Hitomi quite a bit. But their former track team manager balanced her study results, her clinic traineeship, and her long-distance relationship with ease.

Hitomi respected her a lot for that, even though they had fewer chances and time to hang out. Yukari always tried to make space for Hitomi in her schedule, but she understood that wasn't easy at all. These two weeks would be a perfect chance to refresh their bonds.

After all, Yukari would be Mrs. Amano soon. She still couldn't believe it. Two of her high-school best friends were getting married in a few weeks. And she was really happy for them. She was, but it also made her question her own life a bit. Once, she had naively believed Amano-senpai to be the love of her life. _Yes, but that was before…_ Before she realized her best friend Yukari held deeper feelings for their school's track star than she ever had.

Yukari had never told her freshman self, who was gushing on and on about the senpai. That's how selfless she was, beneath her confident and cheeky antics. Hitomi was glad she hadn't got between them in some way. _I spoiled enough things already._

Double checking the front door of her grandma's old house, she finally was ready to go. She only had about twenty minutes. _Ready, steady…!_ She sprinted out into the summer morning, jogging along the familiar streets, using shortcuts, hopping up and down a few stairs, jumping across the small obstacles in the way. She had almost forgotten how much she loved running.

But it wasn't just that.

She felt something brewing in the air. Something exciting. She didn't need to lay out her old tarot cards to know. There was a change coming. A hope she had been expecting for so long. Something that would pull her out of her boring and often lonely life. That was it, the last corner, across the parking lot, up the small hill and through the gap between the fence and the building…

All that was left was crossing to the other side of the tracks, because her shortcuts landed her on the opposite side, just up the slope that divided the railway from the back alley. She had to catch her breath shortly.

It was then she spotted her companions.

Yukari was fidgeting, visibly nervous. Amano was talking to her. And the second man was bent crouching near the luggage on the ground. Her friend noticed her and called her name. Hitomi waved back at her… and heard a sound in the distance that made her heart skip. Oh, no! Their train was already coming!

She had to hurry up and cross to the platform. The locomotive was already approaching, but she had to do it here and now. Otherwise, the long set of train cars would block her path and she would be stuck on the wrong side, unable to board. She jumped down on the tracks and sprinted without looking left or right. It was a bit risky but doable for someone as agile as her. It would be just a second. There were just a few railways in the way and a platform not too tall to climb on.

 _Alright._ Her eyes never left her companions, her heart beating way harder than it should, even given the previous run and the mild adrenaline of doing something hazardous that broke regulations. She imagined the railway employee glaring at her, but paid no heed.

Yukari's voice alerted the men to her presence as well. The stranger was still bowed above their luggage. He started to rise, revealing a tall figure topped with dark, fashionably cut hair. Time seemed to have slowed down…

 _No_.

As he was starting to turn, it happened. She would always have trouble remembering it or explaining it even to herself.

First, it felt like she was just going to trip. She instinctively looked down at the tracks she was currently overcoming. There was a flash of light, a ghost object under her running shoes, but it quickly disappeared behind and out of her sight in her momentum. She wasn't going to have a chance to look back at it, though. In an instant, it felt as if her head had exploded from the inside and cold claws ripped effortlessly through her body to grip at her heart. She could not move an inch and felt gravity starting to pull her paralyzed body down to the ground.

The drop felt heavy and even though she seemed to be numb to the physical pain, she _did_ feel something crack under her from the blow. She forced herself to open her tightly squeezed eyes. What she saw made her widen them in shock. The mortar panels and pebbles between the tracks were gone, replaced by glass… _No, this cannot be. This isn't real!_

But she saw it; saw a landscape beneath the translucent surface. She was peering at it from above, as if from the heart of the sky. She saw the vast plains of fragrant meadows, emerald forests, waters reflecting the bluest skies she had ever seen. It was breathtaking. It was… Another world. And it was living, breathing, spinning right under her. Beautiful and untamed. Foreign, yet eerily familiar. She saw it physically rotating, the sceneries changing at a rapid pace. Incredible mountains, valleys, oceans, and rocky plains… until it started slowing down like a table globe spun by the force of a human hand.

And it finally halted to show her… a battlefield. Even from her celestial vantage point, she knew what she would see down there. Suffering, destruction, and death. Man fighting against man, using the deathly armored giants, the most intriguing and horrifying of which carried the name of a dragon-god. _No, no… This can't be happening again._

 _NO, it NEVER happened. Get yourself together, Hitomi, this is a way straight to a mental institution, this…_ Then, through the gaps between her fingers that came to rest on her face, she noticed a deep crack right under her. Oh god, there was a whole spider web of cracks that must have appeared when her knees hit the see-through surface.

Panic started to rise into her head. She squirmed a bit, involuntarily, which resulted only in the sound of thin ice cracking on top of a frozen lake. She didn't know whether to try to stay still as possible or scurry away. More cracking and plinking. The height suddenly started to make her feel nauseous. It could have been her imagination, but she was even starting to smell the place of battle under her, the scorched remains of guymelefs, of… bile rose into her throat. A loud horn pulled her out of her illusion, a picture of reality replacing the fantastic image. Her head snapped to face it, cold sweat washing over her upon the sight.

"Don't look there!" an unfamiliar voice advised. "Look at me!" She looked up in the direction it was coming from. The man that must have been Ryuuji Emorey had his hand extended towards her from up on the platform, a look of determination on his handsome face. She was reminded of another time, another reality, another person in a similar pose. But same as before, when Amano had tried to hold her down as she was being whisked away by the blue light, it was fruitless.

She suddenly felt calm in spite of the locomotive approaching from her side, shrieking in a cacophony with other concerned and terrified cries and braking to the fullest, but still going fast enough to hit her.

"Give me your hand!" that voice directed intently.

She lifted her arm as if to do his bidding, but stopped mid-air. _I can't,_ she thought. If she would, she may drag him with her. To his death. Or…

She reached for her trusty pendant instead, a single thought filling her head… _save me_. In her mind's eye, she saw it swing and point behind her. _There is something you don't see._ She looked back and finally noticed a single white feather perched on the railway track.

No, it was on a still undamaged piece of the see-through surface. She reached for it, feeling the glass finally giving way and her bent legs straightening and kicking out in the thin air underneath, huge chunks of the transparent material floating momentarily with her. She stretched her whole body to reach the slowly descending feather among the shards.

Just as she was about to touch it, her pendant reacted, emitting a bright light. The feather evaporated in a small trail of bright bubbles, which were quickly whisked away and absorbed into a much bigger upward stream. She recognized this. Even if her stomach was up in her throat, she knew she was not free falling. She was slowly descending in an otherworldly stream of bluish light, pulled down by the gravity of an alien planet.

 _Again_.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Oh, my! You managed to get here! Thank you and welcome. First of all, I'm sorry for any mistakes, this story has no beta-reader, so I would be grateful to anyone who can notify me if there is something glaring that I can fix._
> 
> _EDIT: Vis Arcana has a beta-reader now, thanks to the wonderful person that is Lera ([xaves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xaves/)). I am so excited to see a better version of the story than I could ever produce on my own! And I hope the readers will appreciate that, too._
> 
> _You may have figured out already, but this story is a take on what would happen if Hitomi did not return to Gaea right away in episode 24, but instead, a few years later. So, not quite continuation, yet not quite an AU. In fact, I have always (and you don't want to know for how long already) wanted to write a continuation of Escaflowne (the series). Then this idea happened several years ago and it just would not let go. But hey, it's not such a wild and crazy thing when it comes to this series; the "fateful day" in Hitomi's life already had two versions, why not a third? Except this time, it went differently, or better yet, it went as you would normally expect. No visions, no dragons in any form, pillars of light, and so on. Which eventually convinced (almost) adult Hitomi that her adventure was indeed "just a dream". The causes and consequences of this will be revealed later, of course._
> 
> _So basically, this is a rewrite of the ending. Events which happened in the last two episodes may not have happened (yet) in this universe, but be prepared for some parallels. Including to those events that stayed in place, or maybe even to the movie (which I enjoyed, too). Because I like me some subtle references, foreshadowing and stuff like that._
> 
> _In case all of this rambling was not enough, this story has a tumblr where I have some relevant notes, including a memory refresh on what did and did not happen when it comes to this fic (for my own as well as potential readers' needs). The blog name is simply "visarcana" (link is available through my profile)._
> 
>  **Chapter notes:**  
>  I rewrote this chapter three times because of the system of Kamakura public transport. Yeah, I wish I was joking. The reason is that the famed Kamakura station featured in the anime is for the tram (or electric train). Meaning, you can use it only to get around the town. At first, I wanted to ignore that and have the whole scene happen there with the train to Tokyo, but in the end, I could not. I have no great confidence in my writing skills, but dang, this better be well-researched.  
>  Yukari calls Amano by his first name, which is Susumu. Hitomi sticks to the surname out of habit ("Amano-senpai"), and also because he left Japan before they could have become closer friends. It may seem a bit cold to see her still calling him by his surname, but it's normal. I imagine she would address him as "Amano-san" by now. Same with Ryu, she would say "Emorey-san" which would sound pollite but not as stiff as "Mr. Emorey" or something (the honorifics were added for this version)
> 
> Hitomi and Yukari sometimes use pet names for each other based on the last syllable of their names (Ri-chan and Mi-chan). If you are a bit familiar with Japanese, I imagine them pronouncing them as 'Micchan' and 'Ricchan'.
> 
> Yes, Hitomi lives alone in her grandmother's old house. More on that later.
> 
> “Half” is an actual term in Japanese for someone with only one Japanese parent.  
>  This story takes place around the year 2000 – 2002 so please bear that in mind when imagining the technology, mobile phones etc. Hitomi cannot simply stalk Ryu on social media to see his photo.
> 
>  **Disclaimer:**  
>  The Vision of Escaflowne does not belong to me. I will not repeat this anymore until something changes about the fact (haha).  
> 
> 
> _See you on Gaea next time (I hope)?_  
>  ~Rin


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter up! I just wanted to add here that I'll only be using the Japanese honorifics in the direct speech, not in the narration. Even thought I write from the characters' POVs, I figure they would be less polite and formal in their thoughts. Plus, using possesives and stuff on top of the honorifics would just look like a nightmare. Also, please read the FFN version for no Japanese honorifics at all.
> 
> The chapter notes at the end are untouched from the FFN version.
> 
> **[Chapter version: 2.0 [beta-read by[xaves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xaves/)]**
> 
> * * *

His eyes widened in recognition as the bright stream of blue light pierced the cool air like a thrown spear. Everyone in the combat zone near him paused for a moment, not knowing what to expect from this foreign phenomenon. Some decided to use this fleeting moment to try and catch their opponent unaware. Others were inching cautiously towards the spot it hit the ground on, not too far a distance from the main cluster of the fighting units.

The revered knight of the Asturian Order of Heaven knew he needed to be the first one there if he wanted to secure the safety of the interplanetary traveler, who he could only hope was _her_. The heavy steps of his Scherazade echoed in his head as he made haste to the point of landing.

He tried to wrap his head around it. It looked like someone came again, from that far-away place. He knew of two such instances and both meant trouble for the men of his family.

At this moment, even more than the loss of his father, the wordless departure of the young woman Allen Schezar had once thought he loved resonated in his mind. She was, laughably enough, the one he got the closest to marrying.

Not that he ever lacked the attention of interesting women—or failed to return it. But she had been something else. A child of innocent eyes and enigmatic powers. Her form graceful already, yet somewhat clumsy. Like her attempts to woo him.

After her disappearance, he questioned it a lot; why her out of the many beautiful, noble and mature women. It was not easy to recollect the feeling he had when he was with her, now that he hadn't had the pleasure for such a long time. It was the tired and bloodstained days on the battlefield like this when he did, though. He remembered how she awoke a strange calm within him, but also a need. To protect her. To settle down and live a peaceful life. To be her everything on this planet, which must have felt foreign and dangerous to her. After Marlene, he hadn't been sure he would ever feel like that. He never wanted that feeling to leave his grasp again.

_And then she left._ After an argument, but not even with him. He could still see her confused look as her wish to return home finally fulfilled right before his eyes. He did not know whether to blame her, Van, or himself for it. At the time, the fact that the young king still had such a power over her left him with a sour feeling that would be too simple to call jealousy. He felt it cheapened the love he had felt for the girl, which at the time he had been sure was genuine and requited.

He was not so certain anymore. He knew he had missed her all the years she was gone, even though his feelings subsided somehow with her absence. His mind settled on the explanation of her being some kind of replacement for his sister. Not in his heart, for he was sure the love he felt for Hitomi wasn't all brotherly. But in his empty house. His empty life. Strangely, her loss didn't hit him as hard as he would have thought. He knew she was safer back home, happier maybe, even. That was all he had wanted for her, after all. The whole matter was quickly overshadowed by the sudden appearance of his long-missing sister, and even more abrupt and strange vanishing of her. And that loss, and what followed, haunted him much more than that of the foreign girl.

Even if he had ever held any grudges towards Hitomi, they would now be pushed back by the need to see her safe. _If it truly is her who arrived._

He finally got within visible distance of the landing spot and could see the lone figure on the ground. Then his eyes caught a movement on the horizon. He cursed under his breath as he spotted an Alseides nearing the scene. Allen's heart filled with alarm. _No!_ He screamed her name in his mind as he lurched forward, but knew he would not be in time if the pilot decided to harm or kidnap the person without hesitation.

Luckily, that seemed not to be the case. The Zaibach soldier carefully closed in on, yes, definitely a woman. The knight wasn't sure yet if it was Hitomi, but the chances were solid. She took a few steps back as the guymelef loomed over her. He could already see the pilot opening the cockpit to get a better look at her.

Then the Zaibach soldier spotted Scherazade nearing them with the sword poised to strike and his posture turned defensive. He pointed the crima claw at the girl, who ducked, shielding her body poorly with her bare arms…

"Dammit!" Allen hissed, alarmed, and stopped right in his tracks. Within a split of a second, something hit the Zaibach guymelef from behind and the unit staggered from the blow. A torrent of crimson fluid started pouring from the cockpit down at the girl's feet. She paid it no heed as her gaze was still transfixed by the pilot's face, frozen in a painful grimace. Allen finally reached the scene and opened his visor as well. She slowly turned to look at him, still wide-eyed, still long-limbed, more of a woman now, but undoubtedly...

"Hitomi."

"A-Allen-san."

The Alseides half-folded, half-melted to the ground, revealing the golden double-crossed sword handle buried deep in its back. The knight and the girl both watched the white Yspano guymelef draw near them with slow, determined steps, then pull out the short sword out of the steaming pile and return it to its storing place on the back without extending it to its usual long, greatsword form.

Allen got his guymelef down on one knee at Hitomi's side. "Escaflowne…" he caught her whisper in awe as she gazed up at the white giant. _As usual,_ Allen thought. Van managed not only to put her at risk but also mentally scar her with one blow. Saving the situation was optional. The angry rashness of the king was something that would never gain him Allen's respect. But this was not the same kid he had met years ago in the forests surrounding Fort Castello. Lecturing, no matter how well-intentioned, was something the king barely tolerated and heeded even less so. The knight had long ago come to the conclusion it was a waste of time.

"How _considerate_ of you, Your Majesty," he still could not help but utter, his voice not completely without sarcasm. "You are safe now, Hitomi. May I ask to what do we owe the honor?"

She finally looked at him, eyes so wide she almost appeared unseeing.

"There is no time for that. Just get her out of here!" hissed the pilot of the white guymelef, without even opening the visor. He turned away from them, facing the three Zaibach guymelefs which appeared on the horizon in the direction he had come from. They seemed hesitant to approach, but the numbers were playing in their favor. Allen frowned, not happy to be ordered around by the younger man, yet realizing it would be most sensible to comply.

He lay Scherazade's palm flat on the ground before the girl. She paused, but then climbed onto it, her face still bearing a look of disbelief. As they started moving, she looked back at the scene few times, until it disappeared from view. Allen did too. Escaflowne's long cape flowed in the wind; otherwise, nobody made a move. The Zaibach soldiers seemed to be calculating, maybe waiting to collect more strength. He knew he didn't have to worry about Van; a few Alseides units in an open field would not get the best of him. More importantly, none of the Zaibach pilots decided to equip the stealth cloak and fly after them. _Good boys,_ the knight thought as he hurried to take them to the Alliance camp by way of the safest route.

Hitomi gripped the guymelef fingers so hard her arms were already getting tired. She looked down to see a poor wasteland sweep under her bit by bit with the guymelef's heavy steps. Or rather, its jumps. Her head was hurting. _Well, the sick part usually does hurt. I officially went crazy._ How on Earth had she landed in this escapist fantasy again? The dream she had never forgotten but thought it was just that: a dream. Yet she did not need to pinch herself to know this was not one she could wake up from. It did not even matter if this was real or if the inside of her head had become her reality, while her empty body lingered on some hospital bed.

Or had she… had she, in fact, died in that accident? The last thing she recalled… was… she was... She squeezed her eyes shut forcibly, shaking her head. _Calm down, Kanzaki. It doesn't matter. Can you feel that hammering in your chest? You are definitely alive here and now._ She had no other option but to accept it. Yes, she was on Gaea. And the very foundations of what she had thought true and possible were shaken.

Allen must have noticed her unease as he opened the visor again. "Don't worry, Hitomi. I am sorry you had such an unpleasant welcome back, but you are safe now. We will be at the Alliance camp soon."

"Thank you, Allen-san," she said, her voice still far from firm. They continued in silence for a while. She remembered the final days of her last visit and felt many old feelings resurface without invitation. She had felt such a strong wish to leave the war-ridden planet. It had overshadowed the will to help her friends, made her forget… even her feelings for the knight. Who said he loved her… who offered to _marry_ her, for goodness' sake.

Suddenly, she felt embarrassed. She wasn't familiar with dealing with an ex. Could Allen even be considered that? The awkwardness definitely felt real. _I just hope you forgot me quickly and easily. I hope you found happiness._ But seeing the war-torn landscape made her heart drop with a strong suspicion that her old friends had been fighting all these years that she had spent safely back on Earth. "Allen-san?" she started, fearing the answer to her question. But she had to know. "What happened after I left? How long has it been?"

For a while, the knight just looked at her. She concentrated all her energy on not avoiding his eyes. They were so blue… and kind. She knew people could fake kindness. And she wasn't sure she could see through an act like that anymore. _Could he have forgiven me? Maybe… it was not as important to him. Or is he just playing nice out of politeness?_ She looked back down shyly under his gaze.

"Sorry, I just wondered where to start," Allen said finally, with a hint of a smile. "Your departure was… four or five rotations ago, I think… unbelievable, how the time flies. The fight had continued, but after a few weeks reached a stalemate. With the help of her allies, Asturia defended herself successfully and Zaibach retreated for the time being. "

She watched him as he reminisced, failing to figure his feelings out from his handsome face. _He looks a bit older_ , she realized. Nothing she could name betrayed it, but some of the youthfulness she remembered had left silently. _Perhaps from his eyes_ , she mused.

"A big offensive against Zaibach had been out of the question at the time," he continued. "Not with their thousands of guymelefs and advanced technology. It was our time to wait and see when and how Dornkirk would attack. It seemed as though he was expecting something, delaying his decision. It wasn't like he couldn't try and overpower us any time he wanted. The Empire closed into itself instead. We had nothing to do but sit still. I gradually returned to my duties as the Knight Caeli. And Van returned to Fanelia. Or tried to. Zaibach had defeated his kingdom but hadn't captured the land. Dragons roamed through what remained of the city instead. We contemplated if that was the reason Zaibach had not made any moves to at least form a base there, but it was improbable. They had more than enough resources to deal with a few land dragons."

"I see. That's really strange indeed. But what happened to the Fanelians?" Hitomi asked.

"Van found his people scattered in the villages of Fanelia's hold," Allen explained. "It was as we had suspected and his brother confirmed it. The attack on Fanelia was only about luring out Escaflowne; Dornkirk had no interest in his land or resources. There was a single, medium-sized floating fortress hiding in the mountains, which, we found out, was responsible for securing a very broad strip of land. Van, being the reckless fool he is, attacked and defeated the crew almost singlehandedly. When we arrived with the Crusade, there was not much left to do. We disposed of the bodies and Folken secretly assisted us in maneuvering the fortress right above the destroyed Fanelia. We swung rope ladders down from it and that's where the first returners to the city stayed to remain safe. But as we discovered later, by that time, the dragons had already disappeared from the city."

Her eyes went wide. "Van managed to regain Fanelia! That's amazing!"

"Not all people would say that. Let me be honest, I was afraid of what this thoughtless provocation would cause. We all knew Zaibach could smite Fanelia, and possibly Asturia, if they really wanted to…"

_Oh._ She hadn't thought of that.

"King Aston was livid. If he hadn't known of my uses on the battlefield, I'm sure he would have punished me severely… maybe capitally…" —he grimaced— "for putting my country in such danger. I would have understood. Still, I felt the need to help Van recover at least some of his country's honor. I felt I owed it to Balgus, as well. My crew and I helped as we could."

"I'm sure Balgus-san would have liked that." She saw Allen's expression soften at that shortly before he continued and the serious look returned to his face again.

"Little was missing, though, and it could have been for naught. We expected an all-out attack but it never came. Instead, Dornkirk sent a single unit led by Dilandau to deal with this... little insurgency. It was a memorable battle. Dilandau…" he paused shortly, his frown deepening. "…was defeated and Van rose from it as one of the war's heroes. After that, silence. Van started rebuilding his country, even though I know he must have been well aware of the axe poised over them. If Zaibach decided to attack, they would sweep their few years' efforts down with one finger. Dornkirk either doesn't care or amuses himself with it."

"Why is Van here, then, and not in Fanelia?" she wondered out loud. "His country needs a king and a protector."

Allen sighed. "It's not that simple. This is still the age of war, not recovery. Somewhere in-between, the combined Alliance army started to form. Secret meetings, training camps, strengthening of defenses. I was a part of it on Asturia's side. Everyone was doing their best. It was a matter of time before Dornkirk's spies would inform the other side. Then started the skirmishes. The four Zaibach armies started independent operations and several fronts opened shortly one after another. We have been fighting with some breaks ever since. "

She gasped, trying to imagine it. From what she understood, this was a large-scale war. Coming with it was the death on the battlefield, the suffering, and shortcomings of the civilians. She was sure her younger self would have been seeing some of it right now with her mind's eye. The current Hitomi was thankfully free of visions.

_But for how long, when I'm here?_

"Van decided to help on his own. I would not have requested him to. Not one of the other monarchs is present in the field. Chid, whose country, together with Fanelia, suffered the most, stays out of it and concentrates on getting his country back on its feet. But Van still feels like this is his war..."

"He always did," Hitomi said.

"He is not entirely wrong, though," Allen admitted. "For the troops, Escaflowne is an important symbol of hope that heightens their morale. Once, the enemy's numbers alone had been enough to put us in misery. But we picked up. We coordinate our advances better. It is one Alliance army now instead of Asturians, Basramians, or Chezarians. No small thanks to Folken Fanel, our technological advancement has been remarkable. We have a chance of winning this war now. And I swore to myself I won't stop either until we do." Hitomi felt an uneasy feeling settle in her stomach as he said that.

It persisted even after their conversation trailed off as they came into the visible distance of the Alliance camp. It was a large structure, composed of numerous tents of various sizes, with an occasional cart or melef visible. Wooden watchtowers were built on the neighboring hills and she even spotted a leviship stationed on the side of the mountain. Seeing the camp filled her with cautious curiosity. She never really was in one on her previous visit. The nature of war must have changed. And she was sure it meant nothing good.

Allen took Scherazade in, bringing it to a wooden structure designated for the purpose of housing guymelefs. The giant armors alone, the mere sight of which always gripped her heart with fear based on her previous experiences, pressed a single thought into her mind. _I'm back for real._

The guymelef shelter looked to be heavily guarded. But so had been Fanelia, Allen's fort, and Freid. _Is it enough against the invisible giants?_ She voiced the question to Allen.

"The stealth cloaks are not that much trouble anymore," he replied. "Folken constructed a lens which lets you see them. We use them for our binoculars and telescopes. "

"Folken-san?"

"Right. He was the one who had designed the cloaks after all. I told you, without him, we would still be years behind Zaibach in technology. He still stays in Asturia and our king provides his research with all the support he can muster." That was interesting news, but most of all, she was glad Folken found his place on their side. She prayed it also meant that Van abandoned his cold vengefulness against his brother he had been showing right before she left.

After putting the guymelef to rest, Allen took her to his own tent. It was sparsely furnished but had everything he would need. He even produced a bottle of wine with two glasses, but she politely declined and opted for water instead. She curiously asked about the fates of her old acquaintances: Merle, Princess Millerna, Dryden, little Chid and the rest. She didn't have to ask much about Allen's own story, as it was being revealed alongside little by little. He still had his companions, even though some of them had been lost to the war, one to marriage, even. She was sincerely looking forward to seeing Gaddes, who was still Allen's right hand and a loyal friend. The sergeant had acted as her guardian on several occasions and she remembered his simple but honest kindness fondly.

The Crusade was currently acting as one of the supply lines from Asturia, Allen explained. It often also transported cargo of important information or people between various locations. Allen said it worried him some, as it could easily be recognized and become a target for an attack one day. Maybe he would have to replace the ship and act more undercover. Crusade would be back from Asturia soon, he told her. And afterward, she could take it on their way back to Palas to visit Millerna.

She suddenly felt shy remembering the judging and dangerous environment of the Asturian court. She was also not sure Millerna would be willing to see her. Allen reassured her with a smile. She wondered briefly about his relationship with the crown princess, now that the engagement with Dryden was, apparently, out of the picture.

It was shocking to hear the Merchant had given his promise ring back to Millerna, causing much uproar in the Asturian high-society circles. Dryden had returned to his merchant business, even though now it was all about war. Asturia was not left unmarked by it, Allen warned. Still, the battlefield was pushed far away from Palas, and that was fortunate for the seaside country.

At this point, they were talking like old friends and she could not have been more thankful for Allen's easy-going nature. At least an hour must have gone by. Allen asked if she wanted to eat. She nodded, seeing it was him who probably was hungry. Not that she wasn't herself, but her stomach still felt wobbly.

In a few minutes, they made their way across the mostly empty camp to the field kitchen. It was located next to a guarded cave, which must have held the food supply. There were several fires and open tents, a water pump, and a crowd of seasoned looking cooks with very young assistants from among soldiers. Just as they approached the head cook, a terrifying woman of unspecifiable age and firm build, the horns marked the return of the troops to the camp. Allen joked about them having barely avoided the soup line.

Huge cauldrons of the steaming liquid and piles of bread were already awaiting the soldiers, along with empty rows of simple wooden tables and benches. Soon, they had a bowl of hot soup each and Allen shamelessly flirted his way into an extra portion of smoked ham. He shed his gloves, cut the meat, and put it on a slice of bread topped with a bit of a sauce. She tried the soup and understood why Allen didn't start with it. The broth could have been good once, before it was watered down a bit too much. She bit into the simple sandwich he had prepared for her next and she was immediately reminded of wasabi. They apparently had some kind of radish on Gaea. But the ham was very good. And she realized she had indeed been hungry as she wolfed the rustic but delicious meal down.

After a while, the camp started to fill with men, some hastily approaching the kitchen tent already. Allen turned to her, "They are early today… Let's go find Van, what do you say?"

Hitomi nodded, feeling a bit apprehensive. Honestly, she could not say if she was looking forward to that meeting. From what she saw and heard, his unsociable ways had not changed much and he was as war-obsessed as ever.

The walk back was very different. They had to avoid the influx of returning soldiers of random Alliance countries' origin and various states of health and dress. Some were carried on stretchers to the hospital tent at the far end of the camp. The dead were apparently left or burned right on the battlefield. She felt her stomach, now full, turn at the thought.

"This is the officers' tent," Allen announced, breaking her thoughts. Right, she already noticed the structure towering above the rest of them. It was decorated in Gaean fashions, the colorful geometric patterns discerning it from the rest of them. "Here is where they meet every evening to talk results and battle plans," he explained.

"Is Van an official now?" she asked.

"No. He has no rank in the Alliance army; he is not a simple soldier after all. The men respect him even without that. He fulfills various tasks in the battle, but in the chain of command, he has the position of… a captain, perhaps. The royalty is always welcome to the highest strategy meetings, though."

She didn't have the time to put a second thought to that as the guards stationed at the entrance made way for them and they walked into the tent. The short corridor made of linen walls led them to the main part of the makeshift building. It was huge, she noted. And richly decorated, from what she could see. She spotted padded chairs and polished furniture, animal furs and flags made from expensive-looking fabrics lined with gold, wherever her view wasn't effectively obstructed by the soldiers in their full gear. There were more people (including a few beastmen) inside than she expected– many of them looking like guards or warriors. The main cluster was concentrated in the center of the area, around what was shaped like a giant table.

Inspired by movies and such, she imagined it held a map, along with the miniatures of strategic units on it, even though her view was fully blocked by the mass of bodies. Nobody noticed their arrival yet, with the heated discussions several groups led. She could not see the king anywhere. Although, it definitely looked like she was the only woman in the company of older, war-steeled men inside, and the realization made her uneasy. Allen must have sensed her discomfort and put his hand on her back, leading her deeper into the room.

That's when a few people started noticing them, and she heard acknowledgments of Allen's presence from several directions. Finally, even some heads from the main table turned in their direction. The eyes were drawn from Allen to her and she felt like an intruder again. She was quickly reminded of the glares she had received in the palace of Asturia, several years prior. She even caught murmurs of 'light pillar' and 'Mystic Moon', if that wasn't her overactive imagination. The sound level dropped significantly, though, she was sure.

Allen temporarily let go of her to shake hands with a foreign-looking young man, exchanging a few polite phrases. Suddenly, he turned to her, announcing with a strong voice: "Gentlemen, may I present to you the Lady Hitomi, the seeress who helped us greatly at the beginning of this Great War." _What the…?_ She didn't expect Allen to be so open about her identity. The statement instantly drew unwanted attention to her. Plus, she could no longer be called a seeress, anyway.

Panicked, and having lost the comfort of Allen's hand, she was searching for help, for one kind pair among the judging eyes of the officials. A soldier of pudgy build turned back from the table to get a better look at her, revealing a figure still leaning over the table. She felt a sense of déjà vu, as the man straightened his shoulders and finally turned to look at her. The jump in her pulse revealed his identity immediately. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment and she could have cried, courtesy of the strange feeling of pity that filled her heart. It was totally unreasonable, because she could see he grew up well—like she had always known he would. But the burgundy irises she remembered were devoid not only of the kindness she was hoping for, but of any emotion at all.

Is this what the war had done to him? Or was it simply a result of growing up? She realized the lifeless eyes reminded her of his brother quite a bit. He was starting to move in their direction and she had to rip her gaze away uncomfortably. Compared to how she had known him, it felt like this was a stranger.

Trying to distract herself from her previous line of thought, she focused on other parts of his appearance. He was wearing a uniform, she noted, and while simple of cut and decoration, it fit him rather well. The garb wasn't any of those she has seen during her previous visit, but she realized she saw plainer and more disarrayed versions of it through the camp. _The Alliance uniform._

It was predominantly black, which in itself gave him a gave different air than what he used to wear before. The stiff, dark fabric was cut in straight, stern lines. The coat was long but lacked the separate bottom piece that was the part of the Caeli or Zaibach uniform. It still retained a similar shape, though, flaring a bit under the tightly fitted part around the king's chest and abdomen. The upper part had a stand-up, metal ornamented collar often present in Gaean fashion, and there were some buttoned epaulets on the shoulders and sides fastening it together. Van wore a leather belt on it, which held the familiar royal sword of Fanelia. That was all its sparse decoration. No showy ruffles of the Asturian shirts or shoulder pads, just simple straight sleeves, similarly colored pants and caramel-colored boots that currently stopped in front of her and Allen. Yes, that was where she wanted to keep her eyes, but she forced herself to look up.

And she really had to look _up_ , that was also new.

Ahh, so he was capable of showing a bit of emotion. Namely, it looked like mild irritation, but he wasn't looking at her. "Did you have to bring her here?!" he uttered through his clenched teeth. _Ah... And hello to you, too._ She felt some of her own exasperation bubble up inside. He said that with a voice only loud enough for her and Allen. The knight responded in a similar subdued tone.

"Do you mind, Your Majesty? It's quite a precious visitor we have right here." Was she imagining the mocking undertone? Well, she certainly didn't remember him ever using titles with Van. Allen's small smile directed at the king remained unrequited.

This time, Van turned to her. "It's good to see you, Hitomi."

"Y-yeah, you too…" She felt like she should say more, but she felt really uncomfortable around him. She knew they would have to talk at some point, but she couldn't imagine a worse moment. Most of the eyes in the room were still directed at them.

At last, someone, an older man, expressed some interest in her verbally.

"Isn't she the one Zaibach wanted? They jeopardized the wedding of Millerna-hime to kidnap her." The question hung in the air uncomfortably for a few seconds.

"Maybe Zaibach desperately needed to recruit some more little girls for their army."

She couldn't believe her own ears. That was a joke. Out of Van's mouth. Even though the gruff laugh of the men was on her account, she felt most of the attention leave her and was unexpectedly relieved. Strangely, the only ones who didn't seem amused at all were the king and the knight. Allen actually looked somewhat peeved and it wasn't easy to bring something like that out of his usually pleasant countenance.

"Gentlemen, if you'll excuse us," he muttered as Van had already stepped towards the entrance. She followed him gratefully, with the knight on her heels. Concerned murmurs followed them outside, until they were replaced with the calm chirping of the insects, interrupted only by some calls and laughs in the distance. The sun had always set within minutes here, she remembered. She knew soon the Mystic Moon and its smaller brother would fill the night sky.

"Parading Hitomi right under their noses? Brilliant, Allen," Van uttered grumpily when they were out of the earshot of the commander tent.

"Many saw the pillar of light. There would have been questions anyway. And it's not a good idea to keep secrets from your allies. They might get suspicious."

"So, now they know the girl Zaibach wanted is here. And maybe some others will want her, too. To see what all the fuss is about."

"They definitely would, if we tried to keep her hidden. Now they know it's just a young girl. You don't need to worry, either way. I will protect her," Allen said earnestly.

"Umm…," Hitomi interrupted uncertainly. _I am right here,_ she wanted to say but chose a less confronting option. "I… I didn't want to cause any trouble…" They both looked at her. Her heart fluttered, but she said, firmer than before, "Anyway, there's nothing to 'fuss about'. Since I've left Gaea, I don't have any strange powers anymore."

Van contested her claim immediately. "Then how come you've returned?"

"She does not know," Allen replied in her stead.

"Is that so?" The king watched her with those strangely hollow eyes.

She met them unfailingly. She was not to be intimidated by the likes of him. She had never been, and she was not planning to now. "I had an accident. But I certainly didn't wish myself here. That's why it feels so strange. I really don't know why."

"What kind of accident?" he pried further.

Hitomi furrowed her brow. What was this, an interrogation? _I may have been hit by a train a little. Let's see what you make of that, s_ he thought. It felt almost funny.

"I… fell down." Her lightly scraped knees suggested as much. "And was almost run over…"

Remembering that was not the best idea. The fear, the spike of adrenaline was returning to her. She had to take her face in her hands to stop the horrifying memory of the locomotive approaching her head-on before it overwhelmed her. She was sure nobody possessed the same memory and lived to tell about it. She shook her head and the face of the dying Alseides pilot appeared instead, his eyes begging for another minute of life… suddenly, she felt like she was going to be sick.

"Hitomi, are you alright?" Allen's concerned question thankfully made the picture dissolve. She always liked the smooth quality of his voice. It was Amano's voice, just speaking in a different, practiced manner. She didn't mind it. Van just frowned suspiciously.

"Yes. I just… I need rest."

"She cannot stay here," Van said.

"I know," Allen echoed and turned to her. "The Crusade should arrive shortly. Hitomi, if you agree, we will take you to Asturia. You can visit Millerna-hime for a while."

"Will you stay in Asturia as well, Allen? To protect her?" the king asked.

"She should be safe in the palace," the knight reassured but the younger man did not seem convinced.

"The same palace she was kidnapped from? Twice?"

"They doubled the guard recently. If the princesses are safe there, so is she."

"She would be if nobody knew she was on Gaea," Van said.

Allen scowled back at him. "I'd be more than happy to protect Hitomi. But I have to see what my orders are. Unless you want to take on the task?"

"I can't leave here, you know that."

"Very well. It looks like my plan is the only one we have, after all. Come to Asturia after the battle is over. We can discuss this further, then."

"How… how is the battle going?" Hitomi asked, sensing the conversation was almost over. And she wanted to know before it was. An irrational fear had wound itself into her heart. Someone could be in danger, most probably Van. It could be the reason why she was here… Wait, she didn't have any vision yet, so what was she basing it on? _Well… probably the past experiences,_ she thought sarcastically. The king's behind used to get in trouble constantly.

"Many have fallen. But we are winning this." There was not even a trace of doubt in his voice.

"Hitomi… the battles are none of your concern. I hope you are not considering staying here in the camp after all," Allen lectured.

She knew he was right; this was no place for her. It was a battlefield. And a camp of foreign soldiers. Asturia would definitely feel friendlier.

As if on cue, a group of laughing drunks appeared next to them, passing them by unhurriedly. She knew the exact moment they spotted her, for they started to make unmistakable noises. It wasn't usual to see a female exposed like that on Gaea, she was aware of that. And she wanted to disappear into the ground. But they apparently recognized her company, because they seemed to sober up immediately, saluting and greeting 'His Majesty' and 'Lord Knight'. One was lagging behind the group though, and he halted wobblingly as he passed, eyeing her deliriously.

"Nice legs," he concluded his observations.

"Thanks," Allen said and kicked the soldier's own legs out from under him. The drunk tripped and sprawled on the ground, out of it.

"Allen's right. You should go to Palas," Van said, his hand dropping from his sword handle.

She would. After all, she didn't have much of a choice but do as they pleased. She didn't kid herself; she would be in a very difficult situation here in this place without their help.

Seeing the two men still waiting for her response, Hitomi finally nodded in agreement.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Hi there! I don't have that much to say this time, no worries. Before all, I would like to thank all the people who reviewed, followed or simply liked the first chapter._
> 
> _Anyway, big and special thanks to my first couple of reviewers (you know who you are), who took their time to comment (even though I totally forgot to insert a lowly plea for reviews in the first chapter, haha… which would not happen now… because I finally know first-hand how much they mean to a writer and their motivation). There are a lot of new and ongoing tempting stories coming up, and wow, do I love to see it in this fandom. I will put my best effort to review when I find the time to read them!_
> 
> **Chapter notes:**
> 
> Yes, unfortunately, the Great War continues, as great wars usually do, for years. In the last couple of episodes of the series, you see glimpses of all the armies of the other countries with their own distinct designs and technologies, from medieval-looking knights, through Napoleonic era-like soldiers to submarines. And this all took about two episodes, because well, the show was inevitably ending. I think this is the most obvious pointer in the direction that the series had once, in the very early phases, been planned to be longer. I thought it was a waste of good worldbuilding, so here we are.
> 
> 'Knights Caeli', 'Heavenly Knights' and 'Knights of the Order of Heaven' will be used interchangeably throughout the story. 'Knights of Heaven' is the literal translation from Japanese, for which the fancier, Latin-sounding term 'Caeli' has been coined for the English releases. The order thing is something I made up because the Knights Caeli (in the artbooks defined as something like a "title bestowed upon 12 excellent Asturian knights together with a guymelef") reminds me of the famous medieval knight orders, such as the 'Order of the Garter', 'Order of Saint XY' etc. I think it's okay to have several names and nicknames for the same thing; it often works like that, right?
> 
> I hope Allen's voice was not too 'fancy' or 'snobbish' sounding. I enjoyed writing him, even though it was hard.
> 
> I think my _light_ fetish for things such as uniforms, medieval warfare, knights and their tents and stuff really shows in this chapter. Not that I know too much about it (my ideas of it stem from fiction, TV, medieval fairs and such), but I love the setting. To be fair, a military camp (or at least a couple of tents) is shown in the series, for example right after Van retrieves Hitomi back from Earth and the soldiers from Cesario ask him for help. But that, as we know, did not happen in this fic, and I imagined the camp here bigger, more permanent and organized.
> 
> I have sketched the Alliance uniform several times, I get stuck on things like that. But I cannot really disregard it, since, as you see, I made it a part of one of the main characters' design. I will definitely post the sketches on my Tumblr (visarcana) at some point. Just having some technical issues with that right now.
> 
> _I would be really happy to know what you think about this chapter, the characters and so on. I cramped a lot of exposition in because I have many greater events planned and I'm getting impatient. I hope it was not too much… but hey, the main trio is already assembled, and soon, other characters will follow._
> 
> _Hope to see you then!_
> 
> _~Rin_


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